


Flirting In Hojo's Lab

by AsheBlender



Series: Flirting In... [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Hojo is a fucking creep, Kissing, Muscles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:55:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24564193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsheBlender/pseuds/AsheBlender
Summary: Tifa and Aerith can even flirt in Hojo's lab. Because, that's about the only enjoyment you'll get there.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Jessie/Cloud Strife
Series: Flirting In... [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723756
Comments: 25
Kudos: 204





	1. Captured

**Author's Note:**

> This is multi-part, because I wanted to split up the capture and escape. Flirting between the two will come in the next chapter. This is more of a setup!
> 
> Also, this is one of my favorite scenes in the game just because of how morbid it is. Hojo in the remake actually makes my skin crawl with everything he is. I had to include it.

So, she never was able to have that date.

Sector 7 had been a complete disaster by the time they got there, only getting worse as the minutes went on. Avalanche was clearly putting up a fight against Shinra. But, it wasn’t going to be enough without more help. And, even then, the situation was looking more and more dangerous regardless. How were the slum watch supposed to directly take on attack helicopters, exactly? The plan was made that they had to get to Barret and help him drive Shinra off.

But, in the ever-growing likeliness that they couldn’t stop them from dropping the plate, they had to get as many people out as they could. Tifa had looked to her with the gravest expression she’d yet seen and told her of a little girl who needed her help. Marlene Wallace, the dear daughter of Barret, and a young girl of very strong emotional attachment to Tifa herself. She was likely in Seventh Heaven, trying to hide away from the disaster. The flower girl had taken it upon herself to run into the burning town to both find her and tell as many people as she could to evacuate. She promised that she would find Marlene and bring her to safety.

The relief in Tifa’s eyes had only strengthened her resolve. They didn’t have many options here.

“Now, you better… You better come out of this safe, too, alright? You owe me a date, Tifa Lockheart!” She calls to Tifa as they had both run toward their own destinations. She had already seen Cloud cutting through soldiers on his way winding up the stairs. He’d seemed particularly perturbed when Wedge had come flying off the pillar and frantically yelled about ‘Biggs’ and ‘Jessie’ and had fought like a man possessed the entire way forward.

The last she’d seen of Tifa was that smile on her face as she trailed after Cloud, acknowledging her call. “I owe you more than that, Aerith! Stay safe!”

Safe. Right.

She should have known that the Turks would strike at the most inopportune time.

Aerith had managed to find Seventh Heaven pretty easily. Probably because the words ‘Seventh Heaven’ were plastered right there for all to see. As she saw the last of the civilians on foot filter through a drainage pipe, she had decided that would be their best bet to escape. It’s a real shame that the bar is a smoldering wreck, now. She would have liked to drink there at least once. Maybe hit on the bartender.

She’d managed to coax the terrified little girl out of hiding with a kind smile and a calming aura. The way the girl had clung to her reminded her a bit of herself, at that age. Always gripping her mother’s dress like it was her lifeline. Aerith, now looking a mess, had promised her that she would watch over her until her daddy returned for her. She wasn’t sure how long that would be, but she would do it. She knew all too well what it was like to feel alone and terrified.

It was when she had tried to walk them out of the bar that Tseng had showed his face. Him, with his helicopter and backup… There was no way out.

Aerith had looked side to side slowly, fully taking in her position, then let out a small sigh. Well… it had to happen someday. She couldn’t have outrun them forever. It was only a matter of time before she slipped up and she was back in Shinra’s grasp once again. To think that it would come at the most inopportune moment, though. When she had the potential to be her happiest. When she was rescuing a terrified kid from a cruel, indifferent demise. She had laughed at the absurdity of it. A quiet, bitter laugh that had Tseng’s eyebrow raising.

“Guess I’m gonna be a no-show on the date, Teef. Sorry...” She murmured, looking to the explosions going off along the pillar. Where Tifa and Cloud fought for all the lives of Sector 7. She had let out another sigh and gently squeezed Marlene’s hand, taking a protective step in front of her. “I’ll make a deal with you, Tseng.”

“Do tell.”

“I will go with you willingly. No fight. No struggle. No running.” She said evenly. She looked calm and composed, but Marlene could definitely tell how much her hand is shaking. Aerith couldn’t lie that she was incredibly afraid of going back to that awful laboratory. She remembered what her mother looked like when she came back at night, despite being very young at the time. How could she forget it? It was like the light in her eyes would dim a little more every time she was taken away. Her mother, who she thought was the most beautiful woman in the world, wasted away to nothing under their damn tests. That was more than likely to be her own fate.

So, yes. She was scared. But, she still knew this was right. This was what had to be done.

“In exchange for my cooperation, I want you to bring this girl to safety.”

Tseng was quiet for a moment. Obviously, this must be a strange request. Why would the woman they’d been hunting for such a long time give it all up for just… some kid? But, had a job to do, after all. Return the Cetra to Hojo’s lab. And, he couldn’t exactly look a gift Chocobo in the mouth, could he? He’d sighed quietly. “..Fine. We’ll drop her off-”

“No. I’m not going to just drop her off anywhere. I know just the place. I won’t accept anywhere else. And if… if you don’t accept my request, I’ll fight. With all I have. They wouldn’t want their precious property _damaged_ , would they?”

He could have called her bluff. She definitely didn’t want Marlene to get caught in the potential crossfire of a battle between them. If it really came down to it, she likely still wouldn’t have fought just to protect this poor girl. But, she couldn’t just leave her in a random place. She knew Elmyra would take the girl in. She had that penchant for kindness that couldn’t keep her from doing so. And, Cloud… he would know that she would take Marlene there. It was her own safest place. The best shot Marlene had of being reunited with her family.

Tseng finally spoke with a quiet voice and a nod. “Alright. As long as you come willingly… We’ll drop this girl of yours off wherever you want her to be.”

And, so, Aerith allowed herself to fall into the hands of Shinra once more. Unbeknownst to her, it was only going to get worse from here.

* * *

Tifa could not have felt more guilty.

She couldn’t possibly have known or seen this coming, but that didn’t make her feel any less at fault. Because of her pleading with Aerith to go back and get Marlene… Aerith had been taken by Shinra. Not only that, but she was an Ancient? Possibly the last living one in existence?

_She was getting hit on by an Ancient the entire time? A member of the old, almost fairy tale race had been feeling up her arms and purring?_

And, now, she was back in Shinra’s hands because of Tifa. She didn’t regret asking her to rescue Marlene. She couldn’t have asked for a better person to do so. She had definitely saved the girl from being killed when the plate fell. Even though the fight had been useless in the end, they had at least stalled it out long enough to save many more people than they would have otherwise done. So, while the destruction of Sector 7 was absolutely devastating, there weren’t as many casualties as Shinra probably would have liked to display.

Bastards.

She squeezes her hands together tightly, the leather of her gloves creaking as they walk down the path back to Wall Market. If anyone was going to have the information to get topside, it was very unfortunately Corneo. Someone Tifa was hoping to run into again, honestly.

So she could break his fucking jaw. This time, there would be no fucking around. She was going to find a way to bust Aerith out of there if it was the last thing she did. And, if anyone from Shinra stood in her way? Well, she'd break all their jaws, too. She's very much in a face-destroying mood at the moment. If they had hurt a single brunette hair on that gorgeous, sweet head... There would be _hell_ to pay.

She must have been exuding a consistent aura of displeasure, because the team definitely seemed to be wary of getting in her way at first. Or, of just bothering her in general. She didn’t really blame them. As nice as she was most of the time, when Tifa reached her straining points, she wasn’t really a pleasure to be around. Cloud had merely offered a quiet ‘It wasn’t your fault’ before taking the lead.

Jessie, who had narrowly survived nearly being crushed under an errant girder, had come up to her side. She had decided to come with them for a variety of reasons. She’d be pretty useful, Biggs and Wedge were still recovering, and… well, her crush on Cloud had swelled to almost embarrassing levels when he had swooped in to save her. Tifa had caught just enough to know that she’d given Cloud the biggest smooch when he’d saved her. Much to Cloud’s embarrassment.

And, judging from the scarlet blush on his cheeks, enjoyment.

The brunette had come up beside Tifa and threw her arms around the former bartender in a big hug. She didn’t say anything, which was unusual for Jessie, and had strolled up to walk beside Cloud.

She can kind of hear what they’re saying a little bit, if she focuses.

“Sooo, ummm… looks like the pizza date is off. My, um… house got kinda crushed.”

“Almost like you.”

“Hey! Rude!” Jessie says, slapping at his arm with her hand.

“I’m rude? You kissed me without my permission.”

That gets Jessie blushing. “W-Well, I… It was the heat of the moment. And, and... you just rode in and saved me and I-”

Cloud then leans in to whisper something to her. Jessie’s whole face blooms into a brilliant red that stretches all the way to her ears. The explosions expert gives a little, surprised gasp and hops a bit next to him. She can see the faintest curl of his lips before she looks down. She shouldn’t be listening in on that.

Barret’s heavy steps beside hers are what make her look up once more. He looks just as solemn as she is, staring ahead with a focused gaze. He’d been through a lot, too. And, with his daughter needing to stay with Elmyra, he was giving up an awful lot to go on this mission. “We’re gonna get her back. Don’t you worry.” He says, clenching his large fist. “She saved my lil’ girl. I ain’t gonna stop ‘til she’s safe and sound.”

That makes Tifa’s lip curl upwards just a bit.

“Sides, I heard ya laid down that Lockheart charm on her.”

Tifa sputters quietly, looking up at him with a redder face than before. “W-What? How did you… _Cloud_.”

“Damn straight. Told me all about it last night. Ya can skin him alive, later.” Barret states with a rumbling laugh. Something about it doesn’t feel mocking in the slightest, despite the fact that he’s clearly poking fun at her. “I mean… ain’t like I wouldn’t have found out, eventually. Ya flirt like a punch to the face, Teef.”

“Ha-ha.” Tifa deadpans.

The man falls quiet for a few moments, voice then dropping down a bit. “What’s she like?”

It occurs to her that Barret has likely never met Aerith before. Just like herself, yesterday. Naturally, he’d want to know more about the woman who saved his daughter and brought out the flirty side of Tifa. She can’t help but sigh, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand. “She’s… pretty incredible, actually. She’s strong and wise and sassy as all hell. Very skilled with magic. Dresses super adorable. Probably the most incorrigible flirt I’ve ever met. But, in a way that’s..”

She pauses, then blushes and looks away.

“Okay, it’s probably because she’s pretty as hell. That, um… probably doesn’t really answer your question, though.”

“Don’t stop there, I’m learnin’ plenty.” He responds with a grin.

“ _Barret_ -”

“I’m just playin’ with ya, girl. She sounds like a good lady. Though… she’d hafta be for what she did for Marlene.”

“She is. She really is.” Tifa murmurs quietly. “I didn’t know her for very long, but it felt like we had… chemistry, y’know? Instant chemistry. Even though she broke into my personal space almost immediately, it just… kinda felt right. Like she really cared about not only me, but everyone. And, she really… really liked my arms and physique and… she gets this _smile_ and, and...”

She covers her face with her hands and groans loudly. “She’s so _pretty_ , Barret.”

“Damn. Sounds like ya got it bad.”

She really did. Holy shit, did she ever have it bad.

“She asked me on a date, too. Before we got to Sector 7. And, now, I’m the reason she got captured by Shinra. Some date I turned out to be.”

“Ya can’t think like that, Teef. There ain’t no one to blame but Shinra.” Barret says firmly, his eyebrows arching downwards. “That’s why we’re gonna get her back. Shinra don’t own her, even if she _is_ one of them Ancients. All the more so! They don’t own _nothin’_. She got Marlene outta Sector 7 before those Shinra assholes brought it down. I can’t ever repay what she done for my family. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to get her outta there. I’ll bust up the whole Shinra HQ if I hafta!”

Tifa laughs quietly. Though, her fists tighten in determination. “I’m right there with you. If they hurt her, I'll..."

Barret nods in understanding, slapping one of his large hands on her back. Surprisingly, it doesn't knock her off-balance as it probably should have. Maybe she's just... really tense, right now. "Now, that's the fire I like to see."

"Thanks, Barret.”

“No problem, Teef. Just keep your chin up. We’ll have her out in a jiff.” He pauses before sending a tiny smirk her way. Tifa feels like she knows what’s coming, but can’t help raising her eyebrow at him anyway. “Sides, we really need to get your ass laid.”

“ _Barret!_ ”

* * *

It may have been a very long time since she had been here, but you never really forget that smell. That ‘too clean’ scent of chemicals and sterility that labs always seem to have. The cold metal everywhere. Nothing was natural. There were no flowers in sight. There was nothing comfortable here, especially now that she was just sitting in a tube on a stool. Well, sitting uncomfortably on a stool and getting stared at by Shinra scientists like she was some kind of animal. That’s fun. She’s having a great time, really.

With nothing much to do except stoically sit on her little stool, her mind inevitably wanders to Tifa. She hopes the woman is doing alright. She knows the plate fell and part of her is worried that the group didn’t survive it. But, then again… this is Cloud and Tifa. They seemed to have a penchant for surviving things that are unsurvivable. And, that makes her wonder… is Tifa worried about her? She’d have to be. That big heart of hers…

But, she had no hopes that she would be rescued at this point. This was the Shinra headquarters. It would be like trying to push yourself through a solid brick wall. Even those muscles weren’t going to be able to do much. No matter how much she wished to will it into existence, she was never getting her hands on those lovely biceps again. Oh, to just run her fingers along them as they flex just one more time...

She sighs quietly.

The scientists all immediately look up, like she was about to give some big revelation. A few of them speak into communication units while others have notepads up and ready to take notes on whatever great thing she might have to say. Apparently, her mournful sigh at the loss of her gayest fantasy come true was a signal that she was ready to talk about ‘the promised land’ or some bullshit.

For _fuck’s_ sake.

Deciding to amuse herself, she puts her hand into the pocket of her dress and makes a faux closing of her eyes in resignation. She can almost feel them get closer in awe and curiosity. What could it possibly be? Is this the secret they’ve been waiting for? She shuffles her hand around, then gasps softly. They’re practically glued to her cell. This must be it. The sign they were looking for! She slowly lifts her hand out to reveal… a middle finger and a dull expression.

Yeah, they don’t appreciate that one. She crosses one leg over another, resting her hands on her lap, as they grumble and go back to whatever they were doing.

A girl had to get her enjoyment where she could.

As she adopts a much more neutral expression, she lets her mind wander to what sort of date that would have been. Her eyes close gently. What would Tifa have worn? What would _she_ have worn? Would it be casual? Or, would they have tried to impress each other? She imagines Tifa might have worn something that showed off her arms, considering how Aerith was hanging off them after she got the go-ahead. She probably would have drooled an embarrassing amount, but completely without shame. At this point, she imagines her fondness for the brawler’s muscles is no secret. Cloud had certainly grumbled at her to ‘stay focused’ and ‘’you can ogle her all you want later’, so he clearly knew.

After they had gone out on the town, maybe just walking around and talking, they would stop by the bar for drinks. Tifa would get her something sweet, maybe pop the cork off a bottle with her bare hands and make Aerith _very_ jealous said bottle. She could put a flower in Tifa’s hair because, damn it, she deserved everything pretty in the world. Tifa would laugh and do that cute little grateful blush she did...

And, the night would crescendo with a sweet kiss. It would be perfect. She wets her dry lips with her tongue just thinking about it. Chaste, at first, then Tifa would sweep her into a dip and how she’d _swoon_ -

Her eyes open slowly to find about the furthest thing away from the lovely Tifa staring back at her. She almost gags, but manages not to jump or show any sort of emotion somehow. This is, quite possibly, the worst sight she could have opened her eyes to. This gross, nasty goblin of a man. And, she bets that’s an insult to gross, nasty goblins. They’d be so insulted to have to even share the same description with such a… thing.

It’s Hojo.

He’s looking at her with a rather smug expression, that sneer fighting up against the otherwise drooping skin of his face. He taps on the glass of her unit like she’s some sort of fish in an aquarium, sitting around for his viewing entertainment. It makes her prickle a little bit. This man was the lead guy who drained her mother away to nothing. He hums. “You looked rather peaceful, there, dear. Thinking of somewhere you’d rather be? Like… where your kind came from, perhaps?” He asks, his voice practically dripping as much grease as his pitch-black ponytail. His little beady eyes peer out from his dark glasses, looking over her as if in awe.

“You know, it really is quite lucky we found you. Giving yourself up for one little girl? Quite noble of you. But, that only means we can get back to what matters. About this promised land of yours...”

She just stares right at him with nothing to say. She refuses to give him any quarter. No help. Nothing. She’ll make this as difficult as she possibly can. Because, as much as she has no hope for escape, she won’t ever let them have an easy time doing what they want. Especially him. She would love for the barrier between them to be gone. For her to have the ability to give him even a fracture of the torment that her mother felt under his ‘care’. But, that’s not going to happen. This is one of the very few ways she has left to fight back against her predicament.

“Come now, Aerith, you misunderstand my intentions…” He says, stepping back from her pen a little ways. He seems to have taken her silence as some sort of sign of something. It’s not like he really knows or cares what’s going on in her head. “I wish to fulfill _their_ material greed so I can continue my great work.”

He pauses. “ _Our_ great work, my dear.”

She can almost feel the bile rising up her throat. She wants to look away from his gaze. Tear herself away from this awful man. But, to look away would mean that he had won. That he had sufficiently put her in her place. Defiantly, she keeps her daze spearing right against his. That almost seems to amuse him. He lets out a low chuckle, taking another step backward to look at the full picture of her.

“You’re the spitting image of her, now. That defiant gaze... That firm stance.” He says, voice dropping to a softer tone. Her hands curl into fists against her dress. “I regret it to this day. I really do. If she had only trusted me instead of trying to run, it could have played out quite differently. If she had been alive and well, we would no doubt be so much closer to finding the promised land.”

He didn’t get to talk about her like that. He didn’t get to be remorseful. _He_ was the reason she was dead. It wasn’t her fault! Her nails dig painfully through her dress as he continues to speak, not even acknowledging her for the moment. He sighs and rubs a finger along his temple. “What a terrible tragedy, to lose the last of the pure-blooded Ancients...”

Then, he levels her with a grin so malicious, it might as well have been a knife. “But, not completely. Would you like to see your mother? Albeit, through the lens of one of my microscopes.”

Her heartbeat quickens, eyes widening just a little bit as he clears the distance between her pen and himself in just a few steps. His hands smack onto the glass and he grins at her with that disgusting, sinister grin. Fingertips make a skidding noise as they slide down the glass, leaving marks of perspiration along it. “Did you really think we’d leave such a precious specimen to rot in the gutter? We collected and cataloged every last bit of her. Hair, skin, organs, every last fragment of bone!”

His voice seems to take a manic, desperate tone, hands cupped almost religiously in the air. “As breathtaking in death as she was in life!“ His hands slam the glass again. Her hands are squeezing ever tighter against her skin at this point, ice down every last inch of her spine. She can't move, can't breathe, can't even _think_. His eyes bore into her with glee, like a shark swimming toward it's prey. “As _you_ , my dear!”

He lets out a few breaths.

“Ifalna was elegance… right down to her cellular structure.” Hojo continues, seeming to get a hold of himself. He laughs as he adjusts his glasses and gestures to her. He’s panting a bit. It’s almost like he enjoyed playing with his subjects like this. She wouldn’t be surprised if he went back to his office to pull his nasty little prick after all this. “And, there it is… that same elegance. That same defiance. It’s almost like she’s right back here...”

He’s cut off by some sort of messenger contacting him for a meeting. As soon as he’s away, she lets out the breath she’s been holding since he started talking. Her hands are shaking against the fabric of her dress, breaths puffing through her mouth quickly. She should have known her mother would never have peace. Even in death, they were still using her. There was nothing Aerith could do. They likely had pieces of her all over the place. Much like in life, Ifalna would never be whole again. She can feel hot, sharp prickles of tears in the corners of her eyes.

She wipes her eyes with her forearm, which narrow afterwards.

No. _Fuck_ this. She was going to get out of here. She’ll find a way. She’ll wait for one of them to slip up. To make a wrong move. Hojo was right about one thing… she was like her mother. She can almost feel the influence of her mother now. The way she felt on the day she decided to escape with Aerith in tow. And, that meant that she was going to fight to make a way out of here. She was going to fight as hard as she could. She _would_ escape. And, when she did…

She was going to smash that man’s skull with her staff.

And…

She was going to go on that goddamn date with Tifa.


	2. Reunion

By the time they take that elevator up to the lab, Tifa’s absolutely itching for a fight. Not like they haven’t run into any thus far. But, the fact that they’re heading to the belly of the beast, Hojo’s Lab, already sees her fatigue completely forgotten with the opportunity to punch his face in. He’s the one who’s kept Aerith imprisoned. So, he’s the one that Tifa is going to absolutely _destroy_. These Shinra soldiers that she’s been punching through should be glad they aren’t Hojo right now. Cloud can seemingly sense her restless movements beside him, as his mako-colored eyes keep shifting over to her.

“We’ll get her out of here. It’ll be alright.” He murmurs, reaching over to lay a hand on her shoulder. She can feel the tinge of worry in his voice. The blonde man liked to pretend he was cool and collected, but even he worried about what they were going to walk into. He knew Shinra better than her, after all. But, to his credit, he’s trying to calm her down. “She’ll be alright.”

Tifa lets out a slow breath, then glares forward as her hands curl into tight fists. “Yup.”

Barret, reloading his arm, grunts in agreement. He’s ready to go save Aerith. Busting up anything Shinra-related is just an added side benefit. She’s pretty sure she’s seen him shoot things that weren’t really a target just for the pride of it. “Damn right, Teef.”

Jessie is looking over a rifle she’d snatched from one of the troopers they’d fought. She’d been more or less taking a supportive role, as she couldn’t really jump six feet in the air like Cloud or Tifa. She mostly hung back with Barret and let off cover fire with the occasional explosive chucked into the battlefield. Well, that, and staring at Cloud’s ass like it was a meal. Tifa was glad she was happy, if a little embarrassed that it was so blatant. Then again… she was getting pretty blatant, herself. “Yeah, I’ve totally got to meet this girl that’s got you all flustered.” Jessie says with a grin.

That gets Tifa to blush.

The gates creak open and they rush forward, sprinting across metal plating and out into a big, open area. It’s pretty helpful that Aerith is in the largest tube as soon as they enter it. The anger she feels at the other woman being caged like this is partially superseded by the sheer fact that she’s seeing her again. After watching her run off toward the slums of Sector 7, she wasn’t sure it she would ever see her again. Never see those mischievous green eyes or the maroon of her jacket. When she sees the rest of the party, she looks just as surprised as anybody. Her eyes widen and flick all around as they come into view. The emerald color sparkles with hope. “Tifa? Cloud?”

“Aerith!” Tifa calls out, all but charging up to the containment unit ahead of the rest. When she makes it there, her hands press onto the glass. She looks all around for some kind of release or something she could use to get her out of here. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m alright. The worst part is the boredom. Do you know how tedious it is to see just… labcoats and nothing else? And, the color palette… I mean, sickly green and medical blue? Awful.” She says with a small, wan smile. It’s one that clearly says otherwise. The especially telling bit is not in what Aerith says, but in the healing needle marks along her pale arms. It makes Tifa shiver a little bit. To know that this kind, cheeky, flirty woman would know any kind of hardship is enough to get a girl’s blood boiling. Tifa, not seeing any sort of release latch or anything of the sort, grunts and takes a few steps back. Aerith watches this carefully, blinking a few times as the woman hunkers down a bit. She seems to realize what Tifa’s planning, because she blurts out a small ‘Tifa, wait-’ before the woman shoots out of the position. Her shoulder smashes into the pod hard, sending cracks splintering all through clear containment wall.

“Fuck.” Tifa hisses, rolling her shoulder a bit. That had smarted a bit. The glass was cracked, but not broken. She’d just need to try again. And, again, for as long as it took. She was going to get this woman out of here. For all she did for Marlene. And, for all the feelings she’d stirred up in Tifa herself. She’d felt protective of people before. Hell, all of her little Avalanche family knew that she would fight for them. But, Aerith was different. Aerith’s passing comments and genuine admiration for her made her feel silly. And, wanted. And, just like she wanted to hug her and never let go. And, kiss her. _God_ , did she want to kiss her. She shows this by looking at her with a determined expression. “We’re gonna get you out of here. Don’t worry.”

Aerith, however, just has her hands on her cheeks and is watching the brawler in awe. “ _Oh._ ”

“W-What?”

“Don’t _what_ me, you did that with just your shoulder!” Aerith says, leaning in a little closer as she gestures to the heavy splintering. Well, as close as she can when she’s separated from them all. She casts the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. “Tifa, I… I’m sorry. I think I might have fallen for your muscles. I’m sorry we can’t be together, but the call of them is just too great.”

Tifa blushes and absentmindedly rolls her shoulder again. “Oh, would you just…” She mumbles, covering her face up with her hand to try and hide how red her face is getting.

Jessie decides that now is the best time to saunter up with the biggest of shit-eating grins. “Oh, wow, Tifa. You didn’t tell me it was _this_ bad.”

“Jessie...”

“No, no, it’s fine! I’m just… I mean, _wow._ This is so _gay_.” The explosives expert croons as she comes a little closer. She gives Aerith an easy smile. “Heya! Name’s Jessie. Good to finally meet you, Aerith. Tifa talked about you quite a bit on the way here. Hell, it was pretty much her idea to launch a straight-up attack on Shinra headquarters. She fought super hard to get us in here.”

Aerith smiles mischievously, eyes slipping over to Tifa as the woman keeps her gaze _anywhere_ else. The flower girl had the innate ability to say the exact right thing to get her into a blushing mess. She swears she hears Aerith purr in response. “Did she now? Well, get me out of here, so I can show my _gratitude_.”

Jessie giggles, turning to Tifa, then back to Aerith. “Oh, I like her~ Don’t worry, I’ll have you out of there in a jiff! It might even involve Miss Muscles over here not having to dislocating her shoulder~” She says as she stoops down to one knee, taking something out of the backpack she was wearing. It looked like some manner of handmade explosive, which was pretty fitting for Jessie’s skill set. She plasters it on one of the metal supports to the prison and starts tapping buttons. “All I need to do is put this on this little base here. Should be enough to blow this main support of the tube.”

Aerith tilts her head. “Er… this isn’t going to blow me up, too, is it?”

“No! Well, er… not exactly. These are charges I use to breach doors that I need to get through. I might stand way at the back, though, if you don’t wanna get knocked on your ass.”

“Good to know.” The brunette replies, taking several steps back until she’s all but pressed against the other side. Aerith looks over toward Tifa, who’s now gotten enough nerve worked up to actually look at her. At least Jessie was firmly into her work. That meant she couldn’t tease. “How are you all doing?”

“Oh, you know. Fighting into the main headquarters of our greatest adversary. Nothing too big.” Tifa says, rubbing the back of her neck. Cloud and Barret stroll up, having been looking to make sure they hadn’t been followed. Everything appeared quiet… for now.

“Good to see you, Aerith.” Is Cloud’s quiet response. The small quirk of his lip reveals how happy he really is to see her. Tifa wasn’t the only one worried about her safety. Aerith seems to pick up on this, because she’s soon beaming at him. Then, she looks over to Barret.

“I don’t believe we’ve met?”

“Barret Wallace.” The large man says with a grunt and a confirming nod. His smile is warm and grateful. “Ya saved my daughter, back in Sector 7. Gave up what ya had just for her. Figured I owed ya more than one for that."

“You don’t owe me anything. But, thank you for your help-”

“How very impressive. Disgustingly sentimental, but impressive.” Suddenly, the intercom crackles to life. And, a voice that’s _dripping_ with amusement reaches their ears. The group turn to see the very man who’s kept Aerith here up in a little alcove above this main laboratory area. A sort of viewing platform that lets him see over his creations and experiments like a god. Professor Hojo, himself. Tifa can make out his greasy sneer from here and her eyes narrow angrily. Oh, that is _such_ a punchable face he has right there. “By the by, I really must thank you for providing me such invaluable combat data.”

She hears Barret’s laugh rumble beside her, spitting off to the side. “Cocky lil’ egghead, ain’tcha?”

Hojo completely ignores him, carelessly waving his hand as if he were nothing more than a bug buzzing around his head. “The results provided by my predictive models indicate that this force should be more than capable of handling you. I do hope you enjoy yourself.” He states, gesticulating toward the squad of soldiers that come stomping up at his command. Their red armor glints in the lights of the lab. A whirring indicates several robots coming to join them. Tifa finds herself growling and cracking her knuckles.

Oh, she’s gonna enjoy this.

Jessie looks up from her work and nods to Tifa. “I’ll get her out of here, Don’t worry. You keep these guys off my back.” She says as she adjusts the positioning a little more. Had to get this perfect, so Tifa didn’t really blame her for being careful.

The brawler nods, though Tifa’s red eyes are zeroed in on one target. And, one target only. Hojo.

She steps up with Cloud and Barret, staring down the soldiers in their way. Her voice drops low. “Think one of you guys can toss me up to Hojo? I’ve got a bone to pick with him. Think I’ll try and rearrange that ugly face into something I find more pleasant. Like a smear.” She mutters, not even bothering to hide the anger in her voice. Barret grins and Cloud looks subtly amused.

Barret’s all for it. “Hell, yeah, girl. Go scramble that egghead. We’ve gotcha covered. These chumps ain’t nothin’!”

There’s a beat of silence. Then, all hell breaks loose.

Barret launches himself into a burst from his gun, slamming the ground and several of the armored soldiers with rounds. Cloud shoots forward and slashes the first red guard he sees with a bone-shattering smash. It sends the other man flying backwards, leaving the blonde warrior space to stoop down. He holds his sword flatly on his shoulders, muscles twitching with potential energy, and aims his glowing, blue gaze at her. “Tifa!”

Before he gets it out all the way, she’s charging across the floor as fast as she can go. She jumps up into the air just before she reaches him, feet landing on the flat of his sword. As soon as her feet land, she goes for a jump. In the same moment, Cloud pushes himself powerfully up. The result is launching the athletic woman high up into the air. Directly toward Hojo’s little observing area. She can almost see the reflection of herself in his glasses. He has the good sense to look surprised, terrified, and a little like he’s currently pissing himself a bit.

The moment before she hits the glass, her gloves glow with fire. A blast of flame sends her crashing through the glass dramatically. With a fist on the charred ground, covered with broken glass and bits of smashed flooring, she levels the man with red eyes. The impact has sent him stumbling to the ground, staring up at her past his glasses as she slowly stands back up. She grins and rolls her shoulders. Her knuckles crack again, the leather of her gloves creaking. She takes a step forward as he crawls desperately back. “So. You stole my girl.”

“Your girl?” The man spits, eyes full of venom. But, at most, he’s just a snake. Trying to puff himself up and look bigger than he actually is. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but did she not come here of her own free will? Or, are you implying that she’s your personal property?”

“She’s only in this predicament because of me. Because I asked her to save someone. And, you all used that against her. Used that _kindness_ to imprison her here.” She replies, taking another few steps forward. Her ruby eyes darken in anger. He seems to realize that she’s not going to stop, his words becoming frantic and desperate.

“W-Wait! You don’t understand! This whole lab is full of specimens that will change the world! She will lead us to the promised land! Just imagine-”

This is all that he manages to get out before she rears a fist back and punches him in the face. As hard as she can. She can feel the crunching of the scientist’s nose snapping against her knuckles. The way the bone easily gives against her practiced, lightning-quick punch. Hot blood gushes out onto her hand as the horrible creature shrieks out in pain. There’s a sort of sick glee she feels in it all. He crumples out onto the ground and holds a hand to his massacred nose. His broken glasses skitter across the floor. “ _Arggh_ …! You ignoramus! You… simpleminded, shortsighted _bitch_ -”

Another crunch rings out as she lands another punch, this one almost lazy in the swing. It’s still enough to send him skidding backward on the ground. She shakes her hand and a few droplets of blood hit the metal flooring. She wouldn’t be surprised if the contact started burning the floor like acid, the horrid creature that Hojo was. “Yeah, I’m gonna need you to stop talking right now.” She says as she strolls casually up to him.

She makes sure to step on his glasses, just to really rub salt in the wound.

Then, the brawler hauls him up by his shirt with one hand. It’s easy to lift him right up off his feet, despite their scuffling and scrambling to avoid it. She rears another fist back for another big punch, really gathering all her strength into it. Her voice comes out as a harsh growl. “Better yet, why don’t I _make_ you? Here’s how we shut somebody up back in Sector 7!”

However, before she can actually throw the punch forward, a shadowy form slips up from the floor to halt her from nailing him with a finishing blow. One holds her fist down, while two more surround Hojo and pull him from her grasp. She fights to keep it, but their pull is too strong to resist. And, before she can regain it, the bleeding creep is dragged screaming toward the doorway at the back of the area. She doesn’t get the chance to pursue. A column of those ghostly shadows rise up through the floor to block her from following them. She grunts and gives a few punches and kicks, but it’s almost as if they’ve gone as solid as a wall. They howl in response and send her flying back through the broken window with a harsh gust of wind.

In a split-second move, she changes her direction in midair and smashes one of the soldiers advancing on Cloud with her elbow. In her alone time with Hojo, several, bigger robots had joined the fray. She decides that these things deserve to take the brunt of her anger at Hojo getting away. Several of the robots get their heads knocked clean off by punches and she’s sure that the soldiers that get in her way are going to be having a bad day. Between her, Barret, and Cloud, this force of enemies didn’t stand a chance. Guess Hojo’s calculations didn’t amount to much in the end, did they?

As she’s tossing one of the last robots to the ground, she hears Jessie shouting ‘stand back’ out into the air. A brief explosion rips through the support of Aerith’s pod. It makes an alarm go off and the sounds of other pods opening elsewhere is briefly heard. Tifa’s eyes widen as the door falls away and Aerith steps out. The woman has a smile on her face and stretches casually, leading to Tifa’s entire mouth caught between drying out completely and drooling. Her emerald eyes fix themselves on Tifa’s, specifically. In an instant, Aerith is running toward her, pink dress fluttering behind her.

The grin on her face is wide and happy, full of excitement and life. When she’s close enough to Tifa, she actually leaps right toward her. The brawler catches the flower girl in her arms, spinning her around and hugging her close. Aerith’s legs wrap around her waist, arms looping her neck. Before she can react further, Aerith’s lips are on hers. Her eyes widen briefly before closing as she pushes in to return the kiss. Their spin comes to a slow stop by the time their lips separate. The flower girl’s feet gently slip down and touch back to the ground. Ruby eyes stare widely into the other girl’s eyes, cheeks flushed.

“I… Y-You just kissed me.”

“Mhm. I’ve been thinking about doing that… pretty much since we met.”

“You… really.”

“Oh, definitely. You have a very kissable face, you know.”

Tifa blinks a few times. “Oh. Wow.”

Aerith snickers, brushing her lips gently against Tifa’s once more. The brawler can feel her breath with every word she says, softness touching her lips. “Well, you were just standing there, looking all hot. And, you wouldn’t believe how lacking these scientists are in muscles. A girl has to do _something_.” She murmurs, hands gently gliding down Tifa’s sides. She finds herself shivering a bit when soft hands touch to bare skin, then settle on her hips.

Aerith’s voice drops to a gentle purr. “You know, I _could_ do it again~”

Tifa feels her face go almost completely red. How did Aerith do that? Just say something to make Tifa’s entire body light up with warmth? She can practically feel her heart against her rib cage. It doesn’t really help that Aerith is close enough that she can smell the lovely, floral scent that usually accompanies her. Even having been sanitized by Shinra, as the light aroma of chemicals would imply, there’s that lingering, sweet scent that never seemed to go away. Her throat closes up when she tries to make words, for the most part, but she manages to get a slightly wheezy response out. “Y… Yes, please.”

Of course, what she says is completely mortifying in how needy it sounds, but that’s beside the point.

Tifa then remembers that there are, in fact, other people with them and winces. After chancing a look to her side, she immediately regrets it. Barret looks smug as hell, his arms crossed over his broad chest and a grin plastered all over his face. Jessie is actually holding her hands to her mouth and trying to keep herself from squealing aloud. Even Cloud looks remarkably smug. Which is… well, fair, he _did_ have to deal with their sappy nonsense in the train graveyard. Tufa huffs quietly and fixes her hair a bit. “Not a word from any of you.”

“It’s _so_ cute-”

“Knew ya had it in ya, Teef-”

“Figured it would happen-”

“Guys, seriously!” Tifa shouts indignantly, her blush pretty much just going all over at this point. She knows that she’s never going to hear the end of this. And, when Jessie gets back to Biggs and Wedge, she really _will_ never hear the end of it. Aerith has been suspiciously silent through the group’s comments. So, Tifa glances over at the flower girl to find her smiling that… lovely smile at her. Her heart beats much more quickly. “...What?”

“Did you know your blush goes all the way to your chest?” Aerith comments with that little smile of hers on full charming. “That’s super cute.”

“I.. never noticed.” Tifa manages to gurgle out, looking away in a desperate bid to soothe her embarrassment. It doesn’t really work, especially when Aerith is already slotting herself right in at Tifa’s side. Both arms around one of hers. A pat to her bicep and a fond sigh. She keeps rubbing her cheek on her shoulder like a particularly happy cat and it’s just… “We should find a way out of here.”

“Definitely agree. Though, I’m expecting more kisses to be coming my way, now, Miss Lockheart~” Aerith hums as she traces a cord of muscle she finds particularly enthralling with a dainty finger. And, Tifa just refuses to look at anyone in the party because she might just explode in embarrassment and happiness otherwise.

Oh, Aerith was absolutely going to be the death of her. And, she’s pretty much fine with that at this point.


End file.
